The human body produces several million new sperm per day. To do this, sperm stem cells in the testes continuously make more of themselves, until a signal tells them it's time to turn into sperm a process called spermatogenesis. This signal comes in the form of retinoic acid, a product of vitamin A. Pulses of retinoic acid bind to retinoic acid receptors in the cells, and when the system is aligned just right, this initiates a complex genetic program that turns the stem cells into mature sperm.
This systematic flow chart is established when retinoic acid receptors bind with a protein called SMRT (silencing mediator of retinoid and thyroid hormone receptors). SMRT then recruits HDACs, and this complex of proteins goes on to synchronize the expression of genes that produce sperm.
HDAC’s inhibitors are a class of drugs that inhibit this protein complex, blocking fertility without affecting libido. This is accomplished by blocking the activity of the SMRT-retinoic acid receptor-HDAC complex. The drug successfully stopped sperm production without producing obvious side effects. In addition, another remarkable thing also happened once the treatment was stopped when using mice, after 60 days of terminating the pill, the animals' fertility was completely restored, and all subsequent offspring were developmentally healthy.
It's worth noting that while HDAC inhibitors hold promise as a potential male contraceptive method, further research is needed to fully understand their mechanism of action, optimize their efficacy and safety profiles, and bring them to market as a viable contraceptive option. Additionally, like any new medication, potential long-term effects and user compliance would have to be carefully monitored.
